Back again, so soon?

What is it about blogging that keeps me coming back for more? Even after an almost 2 year hiatus, I found myself with a few free moments today and thought about this blog. So here I am - back again. Even though I know that many of my dear readers are long gone and not reading anymore! Who, after all, follows a silent blog.

So in that gap, I celebrated TWO birthdays - a landmark one and an anti-climactic one. I turned sixty which I expected to be a much bigger deal than it actually felt. Yes, my family made a wonderful fuss about it, everyone coming to town to help me celebrate etc. but overall it passed fairly calmly. I am not sure what the next 20-30 years hold, and how many of them I will get to enjoy, but the first 60 have been good and very satisfying, each in their own way.

At sixty, I expected to be more set in my ways than I am. Ironically, I find myself becoming a lot more relaxed about "big issues". I am more likely to say, "So what?" or "Does it really matter?" than I used to be. Not sure what that means in the long haul, and am also not sure if this will be how I go from here on out, but right now it feels right.

This past spring, that second birthday came and went. And so now I am 61. Biggest thing I have done thus far in my 61st year is buy a new bicycle. Yeah, a bicycle. Not just any bike either. I got an electric bike. It arrived in June and has provided me with a great deal of fun and freedom since its coming. It has enabled me to go up hills that were denied to me by my physical limits using my conventional bike. I can pedal to the library and the market and I feel that no matter what else happens, as long as I have the ability to ride off on it, I am not truly "old". That sounds weird, I know, but in my head it feels good.

So here's to grandma on wheels! Will hopefully make this NOT my only post in 2016!

Time for a little Magic!

Ash is all business while working in the water area!

The whole Harrmann gang interacts with an exhibit
based on their favorite book, Goodnight Moon!

Today's adventure involved the Magic House a fabulous place of exploration and adventure in Kirkwood, MO. The place is simply amazing... kids can explore science, careers, imagination, and creativity and so much more. It is one of the most popular places to take kids in St. Louis. We even ran into 3 of our students chaperoning a group of kids from St. Charles while we were there! Asher was in his element, virtually EVERYTHING was geared for the 3-5 set, although we found plenty for Gabriel and Rhylah to explore and enjoy as well.

Rhylah is absolutely entranced by the fish...she'd have stayed right here all morning if we'd let her.

Rhylah loved the fish, the tot lot, and water toys. Ash did it all (as you can see from the photos)
Gabe found anything that involved climbing to be totally cool.The place was packed with kids, but everyone got along quite nicely, taking turns and smiling with joy at one another. I don't think I heard even one kid crying the whole time I was there... although Ed says he may have seen a couple.

Ash tried out his car repair skills.....

... and his construction engineering skills.....

... and his cobbler skills! I think he has potential in all three!

The hardest part of going to the Magic House is getting your kids to leave... ours left quite politely. We followed the visit with Happy Meals and the day was complete. Then home for naps... ahh... sleeping munchkins, every mom's (and grandmom's) secret joy!

The boys climb off the 3 story tall beanstalk, high five their mom, and head for lunch!

A Small Bite of the Big Apple (East Coast Adventure continued)

The Manhattan skyline shot from the Staten Island Ferry... a classic!

New York City conjures up so many images in the mind. We have seen it in countless films and television shows. We have watched the ball drop in Times Square since we were old enough to stay up til' midnight on Dec. 31st. For me, I have always imagined it as a crossroads of the world, a place where every kind of person on the planet must pass through at least once. And in that respect, New York City did not disappoint me. Within minutes of arriving there, I heard at least 20 languages fly past my ears, saw signs for at least a dozen different cuisines, and saw hundreds of faces that all looked like they came from as far from my Midwest experience as possible! It was a total delight to have my imaginings be reality! Gretchen and I caught the "first off-peak" (cheaper) train into town and had a MARVELOUS day! Hope you enjoy of my photos! (and yes, we did see all this and MORE in ONE DAY!)

The Staten Island Ferry is the best deal in town, a free ride past Ellis Island and Lady Liberty! This was our first pick of the day. We went to the tip of lower Manhattan and hopped aboard! What a fun start! This shot of a returning ferry was taken from our outbound ferry.

Ellis Island... a place with unique connections to millions of Americans. Now a museum, a tour guide giving his spiel on our ferry ride said that 2 out of every 5 Americans living today has an ancestor who passed through Ellis. Pretty remarkable since the place hasn't been used for decades and in light of how immigration has changed throughout the years.

There she is! Warning here, I got a bit infatuated with this gal; took quite a number of shots of her.
Thank you Nikon for making my wonderful zoom lens!

Looks just like the shot in my history book as a kid!

"Bring me your tired, your poor, your humble masses yearning to breath free....
I life my lamp beside the golden door!" -Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus"

This enormous open space filled with cranes and bordered by skyscrapers was where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood. Ground Zero is not open to the public for viewing anymore, but it is a place of intense rebuilding. Even so, I got the chills as I walked the several blocks past this area. Life continues and Americans are nothing if not resilient. The "Freedom Tower" and 9-11 Memorial are being constructed here. May they be able to stand as a tribute and NOT as a target.

Keep walking north and you pass through Soho and end up in Greenwich Village. For a child of the 60's and early 70's, this was like a visit to Mecca! Really quaint and TRENDY neighborhoods grace this area now. Lots of wonderful shopping and restaurants. It bustles and yet it's got quiet spots as well.

Classic row of Greenwich brownstones! Love it! Could sit on the steps and sip a.m. coffee.
Ever seen "You've Got Mail"? Meg Ryan lived in a place like this!

We arrived at Washington Square Park after a visit to the famous Magnolia Bakery home of the best cupcakes in NYC. We each had a box with 2 cupcakes in it (curious? $2.50 for a cupcake! - we need to catch up on this trend in St. Louis!) Sat here for almost an hour watching a film being made and watching the nannies walking their assorted charges in the park.

Another view of Washington Square Park. It's mid-day on a Thursday... and the place is hopping!

Looks just like the Arch de Triumphe in Paris... or one of the early scenes of "When Harry Met Sally". Note the Empire State Building framed in the arch (along with my lovely daughter)... some snazzy city planning at work there!

Carnegie Hall! We're now at the lower west corner of Central Park. When I return to NYC, I will attend
a concert here. (Notice I said WHEN, not IF!)

Being the quintessential tourists, we HAD to take the carriage ride in and around Central Park. Our driver, Umet, was a delightful fellow from Turkey. He took our photo midway through the drive! What a gorgeous park! The only one that rivals it in size is our own Forest Park in St. Louis.. however, this park was BUSTLING! Interesting that it includes a zoo, an art museum, a carousel, a skating rink... all sounds a LOT like home. However, it has a much less "controlled" or managed feel to it... more woodsy and rocky, very beautiful, cool, and shady!

Another shot of the big lake in the park and the surrounding city. Beautiful!

That's all for today... tune in next time for the Hudson River Valley collection!